1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermally insulated bin structure for refrigerating equipment such as ice making machines, refrigerators and the like or heat insulating equipment for holding articles at an appropriate level of temperature. In particular, the present invention concerns novel improvements in thermally insulated bins and cabinets attached thereto for allowing them to be assembled in a facilitated manner. Further, the invention concerns a door structure suited for use in the thermally insulated bin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, as a thermally insulated bin for refrigerating equipment or heat insulating equipment of the type mentioned above, there have been proposed and employed various structures. Typically, thermally insulated bins are composed of an inner casing, an outer casing and a suitable heat insulating material to be disposed therebetween. The inner and outer casings are fabricated separately and independently from one another. Accordingly, when an outer casing made of metal is to be integrally connected to an inner casing formed of resin, it has normally been necessary for the bottom fixture members of the inner and outer casings to be connected together by suitabl securing means for fixedly positioning the inner and outer casings relative to each other.
Further, in a hitherto known ice making machine, as shown in FIG. 9, before a trim panel 4 is mounted on an ice storage section 1 of the thermally insulated bin, the ice storage section 1 has to be fixedly mounted by means of screws (not shown) on a pair of substantially rectangular lateral frames 2 held at a predetermined distance by a bottom spacer plate 3 secured thereto by clamping screws (not shown). The trim panel 4 is then mounted on the ice storage section 1 from above, and the panel 4 as well as the lateral frames 2 are secured by means of clamping screws. Further, a back panel or plate 5 is fixedly secured to the trim panel 4 at the rear side thereof by screws. The thermally insulated bin of the structure mentioned above is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 27328/1985.
However, the conventional thermally insulated bin as described above has disadvantages in that relatively complicated securing means are required for integrally connecting the inner and outer casings in addition to a great number of clamping screws or bolts for connecting together the ice storage section, the lateral frames, the bottom spacer plate, the trim panel and the back plate to one another, involving a lot of time taken for assembly as well as increased manufacturing costs.